CLOVIS — It took four years, but La Jolla High School’s Chiara Dailey finally won her first track and field gold medal.
Jasir Fontenot, the sophomore who appeared to be hopelessly behind halfway through the season, proved to be the ultimate competitor, capturing his second 110-meter high hurdle title, this time for Mater Dei Catholic.
The two climbed to the top of the victory stand at the 106th California State championships at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Clovis Saturday, taking decidedly different paths.
The Stanford-bound Dailey, who had captured three straight cross country crowns but never once was able to bask in the glow of more than 10,000 fans cheering her on, even had to overcome disappointment two hours before winning the girls’ 3,200-meter run in 10 minutes, 1.91 seconds.
“This was different from my other races because it’s the last time I’ll ever race in a La Jolla uniform,” she said. “After the 1,600 (where she finished second in 4:38.82), I knew I was in really good shape and put that behind me. While there is nothing wrong with 4:38, I was wanting a better time and the win.
“I knew I had another chance, so I focused on that.”
Dailey was among four runners who battled for six laps. She took the 3,200 lead with 400 meters remaining. When challenged by Palo Alto’s Amaya Bharadway in the final 100 meters, Dailey dug down and pulled away.
“My last lap was faster in the 3,200 than the 1,600,” said Dailey.
It made up for her disappointment after the shorter race.
Although her time in the 1,600 is a section record, bettering her own 4:39.31, she was still disappointed after finishing third the last two years.
Fontenot, the defending high hurdle champion, won in 13.34, coming achingly close to the state-record time of 13.31 he ran last year.
Elsewhere, Otay Ranch’s Dane von Guenthner went an inch above his previous best before he had a miss and finished second in the pole vault at 16 feet, 4 inches, behind Arroyo Grande’s Riley Gash, who won at 17-1 ½. Dylan Yarbrough of San Dieguito Academy, the state leader at 17-2, placed fourth at 16-0.
“I had a clean sheet (no misses) until 16-8,” said von Guenthner, who is headed to Utah State. “My only goals were to come and experience what I could — have fun. This is the most amazing experience in my high school career.”
Showing the section’s depth, eight athletes grabbed third-place medals — three coming later in the evening.
Sage Creek’s Josiah Bowman, the fastest qualifier in the 800, was unable to catch the two leaders, running 1:50.72. State leader Justian Richardson of Rancho Buena Vista bounded 48-11 ¾ in the triple jump; and Christian junior Elliana Patterson was third behind Dailey in 10:10.59.